Paul W. O’Brien

Paul W. O’Brien is President of the Sheffield Historical Society (SHS) and retired teacher of Mount Everett High School who is dedicated to preserving Sheffield’s rich history. He is an oral history practitioner at the Oral History Center at BCC and an active member of the Sheffield community, always looking for ways to bring town residents together. O’Brien organizes exhibits at SHS, plans celebrations honoring our veterans, and he spearheaded the Elizabeth Freeman Monument project—a bronze statue of Elizabeth Freeman, the first enslaved African American to win a freedom suit in Massachusetts, recently installed on Sheffield’s Main Street. “He is a true public servant and always answers the call to help others,” says Julia Murphy, Chief of Staff for Rep. Smitty Pignatelli.